If you are a regular on our private Changing Habits Protocols Facebook page you may notice that some of the same questions keep popping up over and over. Below are some of the more common questions and concerns – hopefully you will find some useful information to help you on your Fat Loss Protocol journey here!

Do I Need the Supplements? How Will They Help Me?

“The supplements are similar to taking a multi vitamin…. the difference being that our products are not synthetic or derived from questionable sources, are bioavailable, whole food organic, ethically sourced and produced, filler/excipient-free products that your body can actually utilise.” –  Mel Kent 2017

The supplements work by ensuring your body is getting adequate nutrition, assisting your body during detox and supporting your body throughout the whole journey of healing.

Our Immune Boost Pack includes:

• Changing Habits Colloidal Minerals – These enhance the ability of the immune system to work efficiently and have been known to help overall energy and improve blood sugar levels. They may assist in flushing heavy metals from the body and will replenish essential trace elements and minerals.
• Changing Habits Supreme Green Blend – This aids digestion and increases immunity and energy. It also helps bind and remove toxins and contains all your essential vitamins.
• Changing Habits Probiotics – This assists digestion and helps re-balance the gut’s natural flora, replenishing the bacteria in the bowel that helps absorb the nutrients you need to create health and harmony in the body.
• Changing Habits Camu Camu –  This provides an excellent source of vitamin C for immune and cellular health.

We also recommend Changing Habits Seaweed Salt which helps heal poor digestive systems, rebuilds and maintains all glands in the body, and cleanses the body of heavy metals. Dulse is high in calcium, fibre and protein and helps support healthy brain function. Combined they provide a good source of iodine for hormone development, zinc for boosting immunity and iron for energy. It offers a natural source of minerals and iodine and ensures adequate hydration.

So yes, these supplements will not only help with energy and hunger but they will also ensure that you are adequately meeting your nutritional requirements at a cellular level, maximising weight-loss and feeling the best that you can throughout the protocol and for life.

My Weight Has Stalled….What Is Wrong?

At some point, you may experience stalls, slowing losses or gains. You may feel frustrated and annoyed and ask yourself why are you putting in all this effort and not seeing HUGE results.

You try and work out what might have caused the standstill – you wake up every morning hoping to see movement on the scale, but each day you are left feeling deflated and scared that this just isn’t working for you. You may also compare your results to others and become so fed up that you are tempted to ‘cheat’, go on a binge or quit altogether.

Most of us experience big weight loss during the first week – you feel on top of the world and cannot believe how good it all is – then you hit the 2nd or 3rd week and things start slowing right down. I have heard so many say “I lost 4kg during the first week but now I’m only losing 100g-200g per day” or “I have stayed the same weight for 3 days… what am I doing wrong?”

Firstly, you have done nothing wrong but you need to be patient and allow your body time to find its own rhythm. Accept that there are going to be ebbs and flows and be realistic – our bodies cannot continue to lose 4kgs a week. We typically adopt a stair-step pattern of weight loss, where we experience a few days of slower losses, stalls or gains then a bigger drop in weight, which we like to call a ‘whoosh!’.

This is when we need to slow down and b-r-e-a-t-h-e….think logically – we are here to change our habits and find optimal health. Weight loss will come but we need to be kind and allow our body time to heal. You will hear us say: “Trust the process”.

I understand that it may feel like a stall is going on forever but if you stick to the protocol YOU WILL lose the weight.

Remind yourself of how much you have lost already. In reality, the average weight loss over the entire protocol is around 250g per day. This does not mean that you lose 250g per day everyday but rather over the entire course of the program the average works out to be approximately 250g – some people’s losses may be higher while others lower.

There are a number of reasons to explain stalls or slowing losses:

1. Hormonal fluctuations – It is very common to experience stalls/gains during and near ovulation and menstruation. As you progress through the protocol you rapidly strip your fat stores. As these fat cells are hormone producing, your hormone levels will change and adjust to your natural cycle (which generally follows the moon cycle).
2. Homeostasis – This is the process by which a system regulates itself so that internal conditions remain stable. In short, the body establishes what the “norm” is and tries to maintain it. You just need to give your body time to play catch up and establish a new “norm”.
3. Food intolerance/sensitivities – Watch for patterns with food. You may find you have been eating some foods that “trigger” an inflammatory response in your body. Learning to listen to your body is such a gift – challenge yourself to do some detective work and watch for signs.
4. Eating off protocol – Even the smallest deviation from the protocol can have dire consequences – adding that little bit of milk to your coffee, eating a banana (or a Tim-tam!) may not seem that bad but in reality you may see repercussions for up to a week. Your body is thrown out of the ultimate fat burning mode and stops feeding off the abnormal toxic fat and the healing process needs to be re-set…which takes time.
5. Healing crises – From time to time throughout the protocol your body may go through different healing crises – times where your body is trying to overcome toxicity from within. What you see on the outside may not truly represent what is going on internally. Your body is working hard to detoxify and eliminate toxins within – externally this may show as gains/stalls during the short term but once you eliminate those toxins your body will respond beautifully.
6. Other common factors – Different bodies can react in so many different ways that I cannot possibly list everything! But factors like emotional stress, exercise, sleeping habits, hydration, injuries, and environment factors such as pesticides and non-organic produce can affect weight loss. And remember that every round will be different. Just because you lost a certain amount of weight during your first round does not mean that your second round will be the same.

I’m Finding the Protocol Hard Today. What Can I Do?

This protocol is worth every little step but some days are tougher than others. Here are some ideas to help you through those harder days:

Support – Seek out the support you need. We are here every step of the way. The private Facebook group is a great way of gaining inspiration, knowledge and support – don’t be shy to share your experiences and positively motivate others.  Seek help from us, your coaches – we understand your concerns as we have done the protocol many, many times over and know exactly how you are feeling. No question is too small.

Movement – Get out and get moving – a gentle walk in the sunshine, a swim in the ocean, some yoga or stretching. Keep your mind and body busy during this time.

Focus – Change your focus from the negative and get a sense of what has improved: how are you are feeling? Has your brain fog lifted, do you have clarity, are your aches and pains easing, have your bloating or tummy issues resolved? Focus on those positives.

Reassure yourself that by continuing, you will be changing your life forever. You are creating a new foundation from which you can thrive.